Which imaging modalities have no role in screening for breast cancer in average-risk women?

Which imaging modalities have no role in screening for breast cancer in average-risk women?

• A. Ultrasound and MRI
• B. Mammography and ultrasound
• C. Tomosynthesis and MRI
• D. CT and ultrasound

Answer: (A)

Screening for breast cancer in average-risk women relies on mammography. MRI is reserved for women at high risk (such as BRCA mutation or strong family history) and is not used for routine population screening. Ultrasound is not recommended as a stand-alone screening tool for average-risk women because it does not reliably detect cancers like mammography does, is highly operator-dependent, and often leads to false positives; it is instead used to evaluate a palpable lump or to further assess findings in certain contexts, not for general screening. Therefore, a combination of modalities with no role in routine average-risk screening is ultrasound and MRI. The other options include at least one modality that does have a role in screening (mammography and tomosynthesis) or are not standard screening tools (CT), which is why they are not the best choice for this question.

Screening for breast cancer in average-risk women relies on mammography. MRI is reserved for women at high risk (such as BRCA mutation or strong family history) and is not used for routine population screening. Ultrasound is not recommended as a stand-alone screening tool for average-risk women because it does not reliably detect cancers like mammography does, is highly operator-dependent, and often leads to false positives; it is instead used to evaluate a palpable lump or to further assess findings in certain contexts, not for general screening. Therefore, a combination of modalities with no role in routine average-risk screening is ultrasound and MRI. The other options include at least one modality that does have a role in screening (mammography and tomosynthesis) or are not standard screening tools (CT), which is why they are not the best choice for this question.